


It's All Over

by mandyem92



Series: Spencer-Sophia Story [2]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Bromance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Reid/OFC - Freeform, Sequel, Sickfic, watson and sherlock the cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-24
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 06:51:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 12,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6646312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandyem92/pseuds/mandyem92
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Trust is like a mirror, you can fix it if it's broken, but you can still see the crack in that mother fucker's reflection"...The SEQUEL to the Sophia/Spencer "It's Never Over</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. That's all I saw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES THE SEQUEL!!!!

**11:30am Tuesday**

"I want. Him. Dead." Reid said between heaving breaths after a few moments of silence. Morgan's eyes widened at the bluntness of Reid's words, his cold and emotionless voice sending chills down Morgan's spine.

"Not like this, Spencer. Trust me; he won't get away with what he did to Sophia." Morgan watched as Reid's face suddenly changed the second Sophia's name left his mouth. His eyes widened and fear replaced his blind rage. Reid pushed past Morgan, darting over to the bed. He fell to his knees at the head of the bed as Hotch was removing the last of her shackles. He felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes as he took in Sophia's face. Her eyes were scrunched closed and her face was turned towards the wall. Her lower body was turned to the wall as well, her knees brought up as high as the chains would let her, in some attempt to cover her exposed lower body. He could make out the welts on her back as well as a slash across her stomach that he hadn't noticed before. He wasn't sure how it got there but was sure he wouldn't want to know.

She was shaking and she seemed completely unaware of what was happening around her. "Sophia" whispered Reid, his voice shaking.

Her face snapped towards Reid's voice, relaxing instantly. She opened her eyes, blinking as her vision began to focus on the face hovering closely above her. Reid could see the look of recognition flash across her face when she finally became aware of her surroundings. She started sobbing, reaching her now free hands up to grab Reid's face and pull it closer, and still keeping her body turned to the wall.

"Hey. Everything's going to be okay. Shh." Reid cooed as he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her, rubbing small circles on her back of her neck, too scared to move his hand any lower. Her arms clung tightly around Reid's neck, her face buried in his shoulder. He continued to whisper comforting words in her ear for a few more minutes before he reached down to pulled her clothes back up. As his hand touched her bare skin she flinched, her breathing hitched and she gripped his neck tightly. "I'm sorry. It's just me. Breathe, Sophia, breathe."

He kept his hand pressed flat against her thigh and waited for her body to relax. After a few shallow breaths she loosened her grip on Reid's neck and he gently pulled her clothing up her legs. After buttoning her jeans he slid his left arm underneath her knees and picked her up off the bed bridal style. Her body seemed to melt into him and he could feel her muscles instantly relax.

"The boys have missed you." He whispered into her hair and smiled as he felt the corners of her lips curl upwards in a small smile. He turned around, seeing that Morgan was the only one making eye-contact with him. Hotch was walking up the stairs with an unconscious Emmett being dragged behind him with the help of Rossi. JJ and Prentiss stared at the floor, attempting to look deep in thought. Morgan smiled and walked over to Reid.

"There's an ambulance upstairs." Reid nodded, walking up the stairs with Morgan close behind him. He walked to the ambulance and glanced down at Sophia. At some point she had managed to fall asleep, her face lying against his chest.

Reid stepped up into the ambulance and sat on the gurney, pulling Sophia slightly away from his body. She didn't wake up as the EMTs checked her over for any obvious injuries aside from the bruises. They find a large cut on the side of her face that worried them. Reid quickly assumed it was from Brandon's gun. Reid held her tighter, trying to fight back his anger. He glanced down at her, pushing some of her hair gently out of her closed eyes.

"She's severely dehydrated as well." Reid did not bother to look up from Sophia's face. He simply nodded and stood up; finally placing Sophia on the gurney he was sitting on. The EMTs set up an IV, closing the doors and signaling for the driver to start moving. The rest of the team piled into the SUV and followed behind. They all sat quietly, no one quite sure what to say. Finally Morgan opened his mouth, turning slightly to Hotch.

"Are you, you know, going to do anything about Reid busting up Emmett's face...and breaking his nose?" Morgan knew that Hotch had to report Reid for unnecessary force and attacking a suspect. "You couldn't even make out any features on the bastard's face it was so swollen."

"He fell when Reid tackled him. Hit his face pretty hard against the floor. That's all I saw." Hotch answered in all seriousness, his eyes not leaving the road. Morgan glanced out his window, hiding his smile from Hotch. Behind him Prentiss smiled and JJ closed her eyes, letting out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding once Morgan had spoken. They all knew that Hotch would get in so much trouble if anyone questioned his report of events. They also knew however that Hotch looked at Reid like a son and would do anything to protect him. Any of them would have done the same.


	2. I know that look

**11:55 AM Tuesday**

They made it to the hospital a few minutes after the ambulance. They walked in and were directed to a nearby waiting room. They sat down in silence yet again, everyone deep in thought. Hotch's brow was scrunched in frustration, his mind running through the case over and over again. Morgan paced up and down the small waiting room, following the same path each time. Rossi's eyes followed Morgan but it seemed to be done more as a reflex and less of a observation of sorts.

Their silence was finally broken by Garcia bursting through the door in a hurry, coming to an abrupt stop in front of Morgan. "How's my junior g-man's girl? You got there before he could...could...you know." She asked Morgan as she sat down, pulling him into the seat next to her. Morgan grabbed her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I don't know baby girl but I hope so."

"Me too. I will kill that man myself if he did anything to her." She glanced around the room, taking in the forlorn faces on her friends. She sighed and realized it was her responsibility, as usual, to bring up their moods. At times she wished it wasn't her job but at moments like that she reminded herself that it was her greatest contribution to the team; not her computer skills but her flamboyant and warming personality.

"And..." she started, looking around. "To be completely honest, I've been waiting impatiently to meet the woman who has wooed our little genius." She let out a small giggle, instantly lightening the mood in the waiting room.

"You and me both baby girl. From the second video, she seems to be just as in love with Reid as he is with her." Morgan added, trying to hold back a laugh, finally letting himself relax. He let his good-humored curiosity take over and he knew everyone else would be quick to follow, finally having a reason to be positive.

"She seems to make him really happy." Hotch added, uneasy about the prospect of talking about Reid's love life while he wasn't there.

"Yeah, in more ways than one." Morgan said as JJ and Prentiss stifled a laugh. Even Hotch couldn't help but let a smile slip across his face. "I mean seriously, I would kill to find a girl who would greet me like that after long cases. In fact, I'd kill of a girl who didn't have a problem with my job. All I've got to greet me is an over-active dog." Morgan laughed again, trying hard not to think about the image of Sophia sitting on the counter in nothing but her lingerie and Reid's shirt. He admitted, though only to himself, that if she wasn't Reid's girlfriend he wouldn't hesitate making a move on her.

As he shook the thought from his head he felt JJ slap his arm playfully. "Hey! What was that for?"

"I see your face. I know that look. Get your mind out of the gutter. She's Reid's girlfriend and off limits." JJ smirked at Morgan, shook an accusing finger at him.

"You think so little of me JJ." He turned away from her, catching a smiling Hotch out of the corner of his eye. "Don't worry JJ, I promise I won't try to steal her." He winked and leaned back in his chair.


	3. Hoping you wouldn't notice

**12:10pm Tuesday**

Fifteen minutes later a nurse walked into the waiting room, informing them that Sophia had been settled into a room. They got up from their seats and followed the directions of the nurse. When they got to the door they knocked gently and Hotch opened the door. As they walked in Reid stood up from his seat next to her bed. Sophia was lying on the hospital bed, hooked up to a heart monitor that was beeping softly and an IV bag. Her eyes were closed and her hair was pulled back, exposing her face and bruised neck.

"Hey" Reid said quietly, pushing his hands into his pants pockets quickly, though sadly not fast enough; Morgan had still caught a glimpse of the white bandage wrapped around Reid's knuckles and wrist. "She's pretty dehydrated and has a nasty gash on her head from Brandon's gun." Reid rocked back on his heels as he spoke. He heard Morgan clear his throat and he glanced over at his friend, a slight pleading look in his eyes.

"How are you doing?" Morgan nodded towards Reid's right hand.

"I was kinda hoping you wouldn't notice." Reid sighed and pulled his hands out of his pocket. The knuckles on his left hand were wrapped loosely in gauze, but it was his right hand that Reid was staring at. It was covered in an ace bandage that wrapped up his wrist, a layer of gauze peeking out from underneath it. "I sort of busted up my hands on Emmett's face. Split a few knuckles open and apparently sprained my right wrist." Reid flexed his fingers absentmindedly, taking his eyes off Morgan. "I'm so sorry Hotch. I should have never acted so irrationally." He sighed loudly and closed his eyes in embarrassment his cheeks reddening instantly.

Hotch looked Reid up and down as he shifted his weight back and forth on his feet. Reid looked utterly exhausted and stood as if a huge weight was still sitting on his chest. "It's over and done with. Let's not dwell on it. Besides, I'm pretty sure no one is going to protest Emmett getting banged up a bit. And Reid, as your boss I should be telling you how unacceptable your actions were. But as your friend, I'm not going to lie; it was damn satisfying to see Emmett like that and as long as you don't make it a habit I have nothing else to say about what happened."

There was an uncomfortable pause before Hotch spoke again. "Reid. Did she-"

"No." He cut Hotch off quickly. "She hasn't said anything about Emmett. In fact, she hasn't said a single word. Nothing; not to me or to the doctors." Reid plopped down heavily in the chair next to the bed, turning so he was facing Sophia. Though she was asleep she was far from relaxed. Her face was tense and tears were threatening to fall from her clenched eyes in her unconscious state.

"How long is she going to be here?" JJ asked, filled in the silence. She glanced over at Morgan and noted that he was still staring angrily at Reid's wrapped hands.

"She's stuck her till at least tomorrow. They want to keep an eye on the head wound. Emmett didn't dress it or anything so they had to clean and stitch it. They want to make sure that everything is as close to healthy as possible before they send her home." Reid sagged in his chair, huffing loudly. He closed his eyes and rubbed is forehead, a migraine slowly building behind his eyes.

"Reid?" Morgan stepped over the Reid's side. "How are you holding up?"

"I just can't wait to take her home tomorrow. She doesn't want to be here. She hates being in here last time. Reid announced in a monotone, stale voice as if he didn't really hear Morgan.

"Spencer..." Morgan knelt in front of him, finally grabbing Reid's attention. Reid glanced over Morgan's head to realize the rest of the team had quietly left the hospital room. He glanced back at Morgan and closed his eyes again, running his hands over his face in frustration.

"Come on Spencer. Tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

"What am I supposed to do?" He whispered. "How do I support her?" His voice grew louder and angrier. "How do you come back from something like this? AGAIN! And worst off all I don't know what he did to her!" His chest heaved in frustration. Suddenly he seemed to completely deflate. His voice was quite and uncertain, like the sound of a frightened child. "I…I just…for the first time I just don't know what to do."

"Stay by her side. Give her whatever support she asks for. All you have to do is be there for her. And I know you will." Morgan placed a hand on Reid's knee, giving it a soft squeeze.

"What if that's not enough?"

"You'll never know but you have to give it a try." Morgan pulled himself up and Reid followed suit, unsure as to why.

Morgan wrapped his arms around Reid's thinner frame, pulling him into a hug. He held him tighter as he felt Reid sag into him and place his arms around Morgan. Reid rested his forehead on Morgan's shoulder and let his tears finally pour down his face. Morgan rubbed Reid's back comfortingly as he felt his friend's body shake.

Outside the room the girls couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of them.

"Maybe we should wait back in the waiting room till Morgan comes out." Hotch suggested to the quiet group.

"I don't want to leave Reid…" JJ said and Prentiss nodded eagerly.

"Plus, I'm not missing any second of this adorable bromance." Garcia added, both jokingly and seriously.

Hotch rolled his eyes and smiled at his team's refusal to leave Reid.


	4. You're stuck with me

**12:20pm...Tuesday**

Eventually Morgan pulled away and grabbed Reid's face between his hands.

"You'll be fine. She'll be fine." He said as he finally took a step back. "The team is going to head home to grab some sleep. Do you want me to stay her with you?"

"No. Get some sleep" Reid said with a soft, genuine smile on his face.

"Okay, if you're sure. Just promise you'll get some sleep; you need some too. And promise that you'll call me if anything changes. Or if you need something. Or just need to talk. Regardless of the time. I mean it too R-"

"Okay Morgan." Reid said laughing, putting a hand up to stop Morgan. "I'm supposed to be the one rambling, right?"

"I'll bring your go-bag here tomorrow morning, okay?' Morgan chose to ignore Reid's comment, waving at Reid as he left.

Reid watched out of the corner of his eye as Morgan spoke to the team. He saw Garcia protesting, rather loudly, and found himself relaxing. The notion that his friends didn't want to leave him was comforting and as tempting as it was to ask at least Morgan to stay he knew Sophia wouldn't want to walk up strangers.

He focused on Sophia as his team walked away; Emily gave a small wave, being the only one to realize Reid was still paying attention to them. He gave a subtle nod of his head and leaned back in his chair.

After a few minutes he couldn't take it any longer; he scooted his chair his chair as closely as possibly to the bed and grabbed Sophia's hand. He ran his thumb across the soft skin of her hand, relishing the warmth that radiated from her. He didn't realize how much he missed simply touching Sophia, feeling her skin under his calloused finger tips.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. He pulled back with a frown, realizing something wasn't right. It took his brain a second to realize what was lacking and couldn't help but smile at it. Now that he thought about it, it simply showed how domesticated his life became; or really, how much time he spent with Sophia at home, burying his face into the soft locks of hair, letting the smell of her overwhelm his senses.

She always smelled of cucumber-melon. But now she smelled of sterile, scent-free shampoo and hand soap. He made a mental note to get her into a bath the second they got home and he couldn't help but wonder if she'd let him wash her hair or run his lathered fingers up and down her body like he loved to do and had done so many times before.

He scolded himself for letting his mind wander to places it simply shouldn't be anywhere near right now. Not till Sophia got better.

He heard Sophia let out a soft whimper and turn onto her back. He shot out of his seat as Sophia's body started shaking and thrashing about her bed.

"Sophia. Sophia please wake up. Please." He gently grabbed her shoulders, pulling her to him. Her eyes shot opne and she yanked her body against Reid's tightening grip. She fought against his hands for a few seconds before recognition flashed into her eyes. She dove forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Reid's body.

"Shh. Shh. Everything's okay babydoll. It's just nightmare. Shh. You're safe. Shh." He continued to repeat himself as he hugged her body tight to his. He heard the sobs escape her mouth and her body trembled.

"Spencer." She sobbed, burying her face deeper into his collar.

"Hey. Everything's okay." Reid kissed the top of her head, running his fingers slowly through the waves of her hair. He scooted her body over and moved so he was lying next to her. He kept one arm under her shoulder and the other gripped her around the waist, pulling her body flush to his.

She pressed her cheek against his chest and let the tears slowly slide down her pale cheeks. She placed her hand flat against his chest. Reid could feel her hand shaking against his skin and he placed his hand over it.

"I'm not going anywhere. You're not going anywhere. You're stuck with me anyhow." Sophia nodded as she felt Reid's chest shake with a small laugh. She moved her body as close as possible; making sure every inch of her body was pressed against Reid's.

"I love you." Reid whispered into her hair, kissing her softly before resting his chin on the top of her head. He watched and waited for Sophia to slowly drift to sleep. He felt her body eventually relax and let out a deep sigh. He closed his eyes and let the tears of relief and exhaustion slowly fall down his cheeks, the quiet room lulling him to sleep.


	5. Some shave their heads

**1:00 pm-Thursday**

The next two days blurred together in an uncomfortable silence. For the most part Sophia stayed, in comatose-like state, in her hospital room till the doctor's decided she was physically healthy to go home.

It was late in the afternoon when Reid finally finished filling out the last of Sophia's release forms. He grumbled about how excessive and arbitrary they were, shaking his head in disbelief when he realized how many times his teammates must have spent filling out these form just for him.

When he finished he looked over at Sophia who had fallen asleep a few minutes into the paperwork. He smiled and tired to hold back a chuckle; her hair was splayed across her face, blocking part of her cheeks and lip. The side of her face was buried in the over-stuffed pillow, giving her a child-like air. He snuck out of the room quietly, making sure the door clicked as softly as possible behind him. He walked quickly down the hallway and stopped in front of the nursing station.

"Here." He said curtly and started tapping his finger impatiently on the granite countertop. He bit his lip, glancing around him as the nurse looked over the papers. He watched a young girl, probably six or seven, skipping down the hallway with her one hand clasped with an older gentleman who was smiling widely at her. Her head was completely bare, just like the gentleman next to her yet they both seemed in perfect health.

"Her little sister has leukemia." Reid turned his attention back to the nurse in front of him. She held out a stack of paper. "Her home care." Reid nodded and took the papers, glancing over his shoulder again, catching a glimpse of the smiling girl before she walked into a room.

"People have some funny ways of showing their support; some shave their heads, some get tattoos, and others just sit there and hold onto their friends. You just gotta figure out what the person needs I guess."

"Yeah." Reid said, his mind already wandering back to Sophia. "Thank you." He mumbled back and walked towards Sophia's door.


	6. Sophia will appreciate her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short but it's only cuz I want to keep the locations each chapter takes place in the same throughout the chapter.

**1:15 Thursday**

He tried to sneak back into the room as quietly as possible.

"Spencer." He barely heard the whispered name as he pushed the door closed. He spun around and was instantly at Sophia's side. He opened his mouth to answer her but stopped himself when he realized she was still asleep.

He grabbed his phone and sent a quick text to Morgan to see if he had dropped his car off at the hospital yet.

MORGAN: I'm not letting you drive her home in that death trap. JJs on the way. She'll text when she's there

REID: JJ? She's got Henry though…

MORGAN: Sophia will appreciate her over anyone else. Will has Henry. Don't worry

REID: ?

MORGAN: Would you want to get in a car w/ me or hotch after all of this?

REID: Thank you; I appreciate it.

He shoved his phone back into his pocket and gently reached out to Sophia.

"Sophia…It's time to go home."


	7. You can carry her

**1:30pm**

Reid stood closely behind Sophia as she slowly walked towards JJ's car that was parked against the curb. She sat in the back and Reid walked quickly around to the other side, sliding into the seat. As the car began to move Sophia rested her head of Reid's shoulder, closing her eye and eventually drifting to sleep.

The rest of the trip was comfortably silent. At ever red light, which they seemed to hit without fail, JJ would glance into her rearview mirror. She would watch quietly as Reid smiled down at Sophia, running his fingers comfortingly up an down her arm. Sophia was pressed tightly against Reid's body, her arm resting loosely across his lap while her hair was splayed across his shoulder.

JJ pulled up outside of Reid's apartment and, turning off the car, turned to look at Reid. She let out a little sigh as she took in the view of the back seat. Reid looked up at her and frowned.

"I don't want to have to wake her up again…" Reid whispered as he bit his lips, contemplating his options. Hands drew small circles across her stomach and he watched her lips part as she breathed in and out deeply.

"Give me your keys and go-bag. I'll open the door and you can carry her in." JJ smiled as Reid nodded his head in approval. Her smile grew wider as she watched Reid fawn over Sophia. He tucked her hair behind her ears and smoothed out her shirt. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head as he slid his arms underneath her, gently lifting her off the seat.

He followed JJ up the stairs and into the apartment. He looked down at Sophia once more, making sure she was still sleeping before walking towards the bedroom. He used his foot to gently open the door. Placing her softly on the bed, Reid could not help but let his hands linger on her body. He straightened her shirt and pushed her hair away from her face. He gently pulled her shoes off and dropped them next to the bed.

He left the bedroom softly, making sure the door stayed partially open. He glanced around and realized that JJ was gone, the front door closed and the keys sitting on the kitchen island. He walked over and locked the door, kicking off his shoes before making his way into the kitchen. He grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. He placed it on the nightstand by the bed and sat himself down heavily in the armchair that sat in the corner of the room. He was determined to be in the room when Sophia finally woke up.

However he felt himself drifting to sleep, his body utterly exhausted from the lack of genuine sleep. His muscles ached loudly; muscles he didn't he didn't even know he could possible over-use. His lids were heavy and the soft, rhythmic breathing of Sophia lulled him deeper and deeper into the realm of dreams.


	8. Can't exactly play solo

**Thursday-6:00pm**

_Reid's dream_

The room was all white. well, if you could really call it a room. There was no differentiating the wall from the floor and in all honestly, it felt to Reid to be nothing more than a vast emptiness; a vast emptiness that continued on and one for no real rhyme or reason. Reid stood at what felt like the edge of this vast whiteness, though he knew there was space behind him. His gaze was fixed on the object in the middle of the space.

In the center of this so-called room was a circular granite chess table; a swirl of blacks, greys and whites. Matching chairs, which Reid could only imagine were extremely uncomfortable, sat on each side of the table.

He walked over and ran his fingers across the cold, smooth and polished stone. He sat down on the black side and picked up one of the pawns. He turned it over and over again in his hands. The piece was made of cold, shining metal and it felt so foreign in his hands. He could think of thousands and thousands of times he had picked up this piece and yet it felt as if it didn't belong.

His eyes focused fully on the pieces, the round globe sliding effortlessly across his slightly calloused fingertips. He couldn't get over the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong or missing from it.

He looked up from the piece and jumped out of surprise. "Sophia! You scared me!" Reid said, clutching his chest as his heart beat fast. He let out a little chuckle and closed his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief and humor.

Sophia laughed, her voice echoing off the nonexistant walls. It sounded like the jingling of bells in the fresh. crisp air. Her eyes scrunch when she smiles, her high cheek bones covering the bottoms of her eyes. Her lashes graced over her cheeks and it made Reid laugh in cue with her.

"I didn't mean to scare you," she squeaked out as her laughter calmed down. When she calmed down completely her face was graced with a small smile, her cheeks pink with blush. Though she wasn't laughing anymore Reid could still see the laughter held in her eyes. "Do you remember this place?"

The background suddenly changed; the white was filled in with tall oak trees, thick grass that tickled around Reid's ankles, strategically placed flowerbeds filled with purple, yellow and pink flowers, and people; lots and lots of people. They were running around, throwing baseballs, sharing a lunch, walking dogs.

"I'm sorry to call you like this." Sophia's body was thinner than Reid remembered and her hair lay short and lifeless against her pale, tired face. He suddenly remembered this day in every perfect detail; the first time Sophia called him for help. He quickly recalled the conversation and jumped in.

"Don't ever apologize for calling me. Now, can I join?"

"Can't exactly play solo, can you?" She smiled and gestured for Reid to join her. Eventually a conversation began to build, fluidity growing as they both relaxed.

"My brothers…they keep asking me what's wrong with me. They want their old Sophia back." She finally added, diverging from their leisure conversation about their mutual distaste of Catherine Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights.

"I don't want to be that old Sophia. That old Sophia was weak. That old Sophia was…attacked…That old Sophia was damaged goods. I want to be a different Sophia. I want to put this all behind me."

"I'm not going to lie; that Sophia is gone. You'll never be the same. It changed you. But that changes isn't negative. It makes you stronger. Besides, I like this "new" Sophia. Though its not new…it's the only Sophia I know. It's the Sophia that I've found myself enamored with."

Sophia blushed, tucking her hair behind her ear. The blush crept behind her collar and Reid could feel his cheeks reddening as his mind started thinking about how far the blush really traveled.

'So? I think you were saying something about Hinley Earnshaw before I jumped ship."

Reid laughed for what seemed like the hundredth time today. The game moved along at a leisurely pace, stopping every so often when Sophia became so animated in her speech that she simply held her piece in her hand as she gestured.

She reached for her knight but suddenly stopped, glancing up at Reid. Tears began streaming down her face like a waterfall. A bruise slowly appeared on her cheek and blood dotted her lips. Her eyes were wide with almost inhuman fear.

"This…this isn't what happened next…no…this isn't how it went." Reid muttered more to himself than to Sophia. He stood up from his seat, taking a step towards Sophia. 'This…is the first day you didn't cry. You…you laughed. No…this is all wrong. This isn't right." He grabbed Sophia, pulling her up out of her seat.

He watched her face as her lips began to quiver, trying to stop her tears from falling. Reid reached forward, placing his hands on either side of her face. He tugged her closer. He could feel her breath hitch, a puff of air wiping past his parted lips.

He took another step closer so his body was pressed against hers. He could see the look of panic consuming her eyes. She didn't pull away, her eyes flicking down to his lips. Reid leaned forward, capturing her lips in some attempt to ease whatever spell she was under. He felt her body go rigid.

"Sophia?"

"Please…please, you're hurting me." She sobbed. "Stop! Please…don't."

"What? What's wrong?!" She fell to her knees as Reid let go of her in a panic and instinctively took a step back.

'God, please…No! No! I don't want to. Please don't make me." She gripped her head and shook it back and forth as if she was trying to knock something loose inside of her. She started gasping for air. "Why are you doing this to me?! Why are you hurting me?' She looked Reid dead in the eyes.

"Sophia?" He whispered, a sob caught in his throat. He reached forward and as his hand made contact with her cheek she let out a sob of pain.

"NO! Don't touch me. Stop! Stop!" Suddenly everything around him turned white and he felt his body being tugged backwards.

Reid jolted awake, gasping for air. He shot up in the chair from his slumped position, clutching his chest as he felt his heart pounding.

"No…stop…stop!" He heard Sophia's muffled pleas fill the room. Leaping from his chair Reid sat on the edge of the bed and gently touched Sophia's shoulder. Her body was shaking and her eyes were scrunched closed in fear.

"Sophia"

"Wake up."

"It's only a dream."

"Please."

"It's me. It's Spencer."

"Open your eyes Sophia."

"You're safe."

He repeated these phrases over and over till Sophia's cries became soft whimpers and her eyes slowly blinked open. When her eyes finally opened she focused on Reid. Her pupils were dilated and tears poured endlessly down her face, pooling at the base of her neck.

"Shhh" He ran his fingers through her hair as he pulled her into his lap. He felt her forehead press against his neck, a thin layer of sweat soaking into his skin. His fingers continued to move as he rested his chin on the top of her head, rocking her body side to side slowly.

"How about a bath?" He asked as he felt her trembling body finally relax. Sophia nodded and after a few moments untangled herself from Reid and stood up. She walked to the bathroom and began filling the tub with scolding how water, leaving Reid sitting quietly on the bed.


	9. Can I?

**Thursday - 6:00**

When she turned the water off she returned to the room. She watched as Reid paced slowly back and forth as he chewed intently on his lower lip. His hands were shoved deep into his pockets and he was walking back and forth with such determination that she wasn't quite sure if she should interrupt. After waiting for a few more minutes she finally took in a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Spencer," she squeaked out, surprising herself at how small her voice sounded. Reid spun on his heels and stared, hopeful and yearning, at Sophia. She held her hand out and stared back at Reid, a small, quivering smile laced across her face. Reid raised his eyebrows in confusion before reaching forward and tentatively placing his hand in hers. She squeezed his hand and led him into the bathroom.

"Sophia…" He hesitated when Sophia turned around in the bathroom. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her hip. She took in a shaky breath and closed her eyes. Reid could feel her body trembling under his hand.

"Please." She whimpered softly. Reid moved his other hand to her hip and stood in front of her. He rubbed his thumb across the small patch of exposed skin and waited for her breathing to calm down before pulling her shirt over her head. He looked down at her exposed skin and was so thankful that her eyes were closed.

He clenched his jaw and his eyes flashed with anger when he took in the molted skin that dotted her stomach. There were fist-shaped bruises of different stages across her entire front, a few wrapping around to her back. They were a beautiful contrast to her paled and smooth porcelain colored skin; skin that he distinctly remembered practically worshipping, kissing and nipping it whenever he got the chance. He let his fingers ghost over one of the bruises and heard a soft whimper escape Sophia's open, pink lips. He watched as a tear slid her cheek. She wiped it away quickly with her hand before it could make its way past her chin. He bent down and placed his lips gently against the bruised skin. He softly kissed the bruise on her hip before trailing his lips higher, placing soothing kisses on each bruise.

Piece by piece Reid slowly worked her clothes off, pausing before and after each one to let Sophia's body relax. She lowered herself into the now lukewarm water. Reid opened the shampoo and smiled as the smell lofted through the bathroom.

"Do you want me to wash your hair?" Reid asked softly. Sophia nodded quickly and if this was any other situation he probably would have been grinning and reveling in the moans that always snuck from her parted lips when his hands moved through her hair. This time he just nodded back and poured shampoo into his hands. He gracefully worked his long fingers through her thick hair, letting his blunt nails scrape lightly against her scalp. He gently massaged down to the base of her hair, rubbing up and down her tensed neck.

She leaned into his touch and for the first time she let herself smile. Reid could feel her muscles relax. She sighed softly as she kept her eyes closed. Reid slowly lowered her head into the warm water. He ran his fingers through the loosened strands, making sure all the soap was washed out. Using his hands that were placed on the back of her head, he slowly helped her sit up. He watched as the water ran down her body. The water glistened against the light bruises that wrapped around her neck. Reid ran his fingers over the molted skin again, hesitating over the end where he could make out the four fingertips from Emmett's hand. An image of Emmett's hands wrapped tightly around Sophia's next began to sneak into his mind and he desperately brushed it away to deal with later; the only thing that should be on his mind

Reid leaned forward and brushed his lips over the purpled skin. Sophia let out a small gasp as Reid applied a gentle pressure on her neck when he finally felt her body lean into his lips. His lips slowly moved across to her chin, leaving little kisses along the way. He kissed the corner of her mouth and Sophia opened her eyes. Reid smiled down at her and placed a hand on her cheek.

"You want to try to sleep a little?" Reid stood up and grabbed the towel behind him. He held out his hand as Sophia stepped out of the tub. He wrapped the towel tightly around her body and pulled her close to his body. She rested her wet head on Reid's chest, her hands gripping the towel tightly. Reid smiled as he felt the weight of her body pressed up against him. It was a comforting pressure, a reminder that things would eventually get better.

He led her to the bedroom and sat her on the bed. He grabbed a large t-shirt and over-sized sweatpants. Sophia stood up and dropped the towel abruptly, squeezing her eyes closed for a few moments. When she opened her eyes, Reid was staring right at her eyes, avoiding everywhere else. She would have laughed at his modesty any other time but for now, she was thankful for it.

He handed her the pajamas with a smile and walked back into the bathroom. He came back into the room with Sophia's brush and walked over to sit next to her. She reached out for the brush and Reid pulled his hand back slightly.

"Can I?" He asked quietly. She nodded and let her mind relax as Reid pulled the brush through her smoothed hair. She felt her body and mind slowly shutting down, exhaustion washing over her. She let out a hum of satisfaction and slowly slipped into sleep.


	10. Definitely not enough

**6:45-Thursday**

Reid lowered Sophia down onto the pillow, pulling the sheets up to her chin. He tucked her hair behind her ears and leaned down, kissing her forehead. A knock on the door as he tucks the sheet around Sophia grabs his attention, making him jump slightly. He opened his door and smiled at the bright and smiling person in front of him.

"I come bearing gifts." Garcia says with a smile, lifting the cat-carrier up. She put the carrier down and opened the cage door, Sherlock and Watson flying out the second it was unlatched. Sherlock pounced on Reid's feet while Watson darted to the bedroom door. Sherlock rolled over onto his back, pawing playfully at the air. Watson sniffed at the bottom opening of the door and meowed loudly and continuously. Reid picked up a purring Sherlock and walked over to the bedroom door.

"You're going to wake Sophia!" Reid whispered harshly at Watson. Using his foot he gently pushed Watson away from the door. However Watson was having none of that; he ran around to the other side of Reid and threw himself onto his belly at the door. He meowed sadly and pawed at the door, turning to look at Reid over his shoulder. "Fine! I swear if you wake her up..." Reid muttered as he opened the door.

Watson flew into the room, leaping onto the bed. He crawled his way onto the pillow that Sophia was using, laying his head next to Sophia's ear. He buried his nose in her wet hair and curled up on his side, getting comfortable. Reid felt Sherlock twisting and squirming in his arms impatiently. Reid shook his head and relaxed his arms, letting Sherlock jump down. Sherlock followed in Watson's footsteps and jumped onto the bed. He gently wiggled his way under Sophia's arm, curling himself up into a tiny ball, his tail swinging back and forth . Reid gently closed the door and turned to face Garcia.

"I haven't heard from you since Tuesday. How's she been holding up?" Garcia asked as she watched Reid intently.

"She's…physically okay; still tired and a little run-down but other than that she's okay." Reid took a deep breath and sat down on the couch, his knees tucked underneath him. "She's having nightmares now though. She was okay in the hospital, most likely because she was simply too exhausted."

"Has she said anything to you?"

"Nothing really; the best I've gotten from her are one word phrases, my name and such."

"Give her some more time.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes as Garcia leaned back on the couch, observing Reid. She looked Reid over, a sympathetic smile gracing her face. His whole being seemed weighed down by an unseen force, his shoulders sagging under the weight. His eyes were dull and he looked to be struggling to keep them open more and more with each passing minute.

"Sweetheart, when was the last time you got some sleep?"

Reid let out a little laugh and hung his head. "I slept in the hospital, does that count?"

"That depends on how much…"

"Definitely not enough." Reid answered with a shake of his head.

"Well…aside from the obvious lack of sleep, how are you holding up?" Garcia asked as she placed a comforting hand on his knee.

"I…I don't know what I feel right now."

"Reid…Spencer, what is going through that big head of yours? You gotta let someone in."

"Just…give me some time. I've got a lot on my mind Garcia. I just need to…think."

Garcia sighed and stood up. "Whatever you are feeling, don't keep it bottled up. You know it's the worst thing to do right now." She knew that the word 'exhausted' didn't even begin to encompass what Reid looked like was and although she wanted to stay and fight to get Reid to say what was really on his mind, she knew he needed rest before he could work through anything.

"Go get some sleep baby." Garcia leaned down and kissed the top of his head, making her way to the door.

Reid waved goodbye and watched Garcia close the door behind herself. He padded back to the bedroom, slowly opening the door just enough for him to squeeze his thin frame through it. He walked over to the armchair in the corner of the room and lowered himself down, curling his legs up underneath him.

He looked over at Sophia and noticed her body shivering slightly. He stood up and walked over to the closet, grabbing a thick blanket from the top shelf. He opened it up placing it over Sophia and the cats, not a single one of them budging. Reid smiled down at them and walked back to the armchair, shifting till he got comfortable. He closed his eyes, feeling his exhausted body practically melt into the chair.


	11. Everything is not okay

**7:00pm – Thursday - Garcia's apartment**

Garcia made her way out the apartment and into her car. She sat in the passenger seat for a few moments, resting her head on the steering wheel. She started the car without moving her head, closing her eyes for a minute or two as the interior of the car warmed up. She finally lifted up her head and put the car into drive, slowly pulling away from Reid's car.

Her mind was racing as she drove towards her apartment, thankful for the amazing phenomenon called auto-pilot. She wasn't truly aware of where she was driving till she pulled into her spot in the parking lot behind her apartment building.

She made her way up the stairs, unlocking the door and kicking her heels off. The second the door closed behind her she reached into her purse, grabbed her cellphone and began dialing.

"You need to get your ass over to his apartment now."

**7:00pm – Thursday – Morgan's house**

Morgan sat on his couch, his feet propped up on the coffee table. The TV was on, playing some college basketball game that he honestly wasn't paying attention to. It was playing simply as a distraction from the silence; the deafening silence that makes everything real. It's in that silence where your thoughts echo the loudest. They become inescapable and they fill the quiet void quickly and violently, pushing everything else out of the way. It was this kind of silence that Morgan was desperately trying to avoid and although the squeaking of sneakers, the shouting of fans and the commentators were helping, he could still hear those dreadful thoughts weaseling their way into his brain.

He heard the shrill ringing of his phone and jumped off the couch in surprise. He picked it up without bothering to check the caller ID.

"Mo-"

"You need to get your ass over to his apartment now."

"Why? Is everything okay? Is there something wrong with Sophia? Reid? What's going on!?" Morgan rushed out of his living room, running to the front door, pushing his shoes on.

"No, everything is not okay! He's home by himself! He needs his friends by him and all we've done since we left the hospital is avoid him because someone seems to think he needs space!"

Morgan stopped, his keys in his pocket and his hand on the doorknob. He closed his eyes and let out an aggravated huff.

"Garcia…I don't think he needs us pestering him right now. Sophia just got home and-"

"That is exactly why he needs us; or at least you. He's confused and unsure and I'm sure he's still blaming himself. He needs to be there, mentally, for Sophia and how can he if he's avoiding dealing with it? Talk to him. Now. Or else." With that Garcia hung up and Morgan begrudgingly made his way to Reid's apartment.


	12. You're full of crap

**7:30pm – Thursday**

Reid heard a knock on the door and slowly pulled himself out of the armchair. He glanced over at Sophia who had been asleep for 20 minutes. She looked relaxed and Reid could stop his eyes from running up and down her body. He could make out her long legs underneath the sheets and her arms were tucked protectively under her head. She looked like-

Another set of knocks pulled him out of his thoughts and he quickly walked to the door.

"Oh. Morgan." Reid stumbled out, surprised to see his best friend at his door. "Come in." Reid stepped aside and closed the door quietly behind Morgan.

"I…uhm…I just wanted to check up on you. I don't have to stay if you're busy. It's fine." Morgan tripped over his over his words and turned around to leave the room.

"Morgan…don't leave."

"Oh…good. Because in all honestly I didn't want to." Morgan smiled then plopped himself down on the couch, relaxing as he looked at Reid who had seated himself in the chair across from him. He could have laughed at the fact that he, Mr. Confident, had gotten nervous over confronting Reid.

"How are you holding up?" Morgan asked.

"I'm fi-"

"Don't lie, Reid. Morgan cut him off. "You're full of crap if you say you're fine. And you know I'm not buying it."

Reid flopped his head back and let out a heavy sigh.

"Do you really want to know what I'm thinking? You guys typically tell me to shut up."

"Re-Spencer. You're my best friend. And I worry about you. Now what's bothering you?"

"What's bothering me?" Reid echoed back, a look of disbelief on his face. 'What's bothering me!? What do you think!? It's my fault! All of it. I should have protected her. I'm an FBI agent and I can't even keep my own girlfriend safe! If I can't even protect her, why would anyone trust me to save complete strangers? I knew Emmett had escaped. I should have been working to find him and-"

"Reid! You never could have known that Emmett was going to come back for her. And what were you going to do, spend every day following Sophia around with your gun? You saved her, that's all that matters. You never gave up on her and you're still there for her. You're doing all that you can."

"I know…at least, I'm trying to convince myself that I know. But I just can't get the what-ifs out of my head. Then I get angry; angry at myself. Angry at Emmett. I've never felt such…rage…towards someone. I'm not a violent person yet all I want to do is get five more minutes alone with Emmett."

Morgan let out a little laugh. "Never thought I'd see the day where the great Dr. Spencer Reid wants to voluntarily beat the shit out of someone. But no one blames you for being angry; you have every right. And you have every right to want to pummel Emmett but he'll get what he deserves."

"I know. But I still can't help myself."

"It'll get better. How's Sophia holding up?" Morgan asked quietly, glancing over at the bedroom door.

"I'm not sure. She's having nightmares and won't talk to me, which is "typical" for a victim…"

"But…" Morgan said, squinting his eyes at Reid.

"She seems…frustrated. Anytime I hesitate to touch her she forces me to. I can practically feel her whole body panicking yet she won't let me pull away. I know what she's trying to do; she trying to desensitize herself. But I just don't know why she's so set on rushing."

"She wants to be normal. She said so when Emmett first attacked her."

"Yeah but…she can't just move on physically without talking about it!"

"Have you tried talking to her about what happened?" Morgan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He stared intently at Reid, already sensing where this conversation was going.

"Well no bu-"

"Then talk to her." Morgan urged.

"I know…it's just…it's easier when you don't know the person. It's easier to distance yourself."

"Maybe it's a good thing that you can't distance yourself. You can truly relate and honestly, I think you need to talk about what happened just as much as she does." Morgan watched Reid intently, waiting for some sort of response.

Reid stared down at his hands for a few minutes, glancing up at the bedroom door twice.

"Say something." Morgan finally said with an uncomfortable laugh.

"You're right." Reid mumbled, running a hand through his hair.

"Please tell me you were hesitant because you were thinking about what to say to Sophia and not that you just didn't want to admit that I was right." Morgan laughed, winking at Reid.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. No, I just...I don't know what I would say to her. Does she really need to know everything that happened?"

Morgan thought his question over, pulling himself up from the couch. He ran his hands over his jeans, pacing back and forth behind the couch. "Well, you should tell her about the videos; don't lie to her-"

"No! I don't need her worrying about them…or me. And knowing her she'll twist it everything around and blame herself or something or start apologizing for me having to see everything."

"Sounds like someone else I know" Morgan responded with a smile, glancing over to Reid. "Come on Reid...you and I know that your strong point has always been words. I'm sure once you start talking, everything will turn out better than you're expecting. I highly doubt you'll make her feel guilty. Besides, what's the worst that can happen?"

Reid quickly stood up t o meet Morgan. "I know...I just...ugh! I've never felt so..."

"Lost? Frustrated? Unsure?"

"All of the above" Reid added quietly.

"Ignoring this whole thing will only make it worse."

"God Morgan I know! Trust me, I keep telling myself that over and over again. We tell victims all the time that they need to talk. And I know everything you're saying is right but...I'm so fucking lost!" Reid finally grunts out, throwing his hands up in the air. He lets out a heavy sigh and looks at Morgan. "When she wakes up I'll talk to her, okay?"

"Much better. It's about damn time you agreed with me. I honestly thought I'd have to sit here and lock you in your bedroom till this was resolved. Now Garcia can finally back down."

"She called you, didn't she?"

"Of course. I was kinda...hesitant to come visit. I thought you guys would want space. Though I thought you would want space so you could talk. Listen, I'll let you go because you look like the walking dead. Get some sleep, talk to Sophia, and please promise to call me later on."

"I promise. And I don't look that bad..."

"Reid. Have you looked in the mirror lately?" With a laugh Morgan walked over to the door, opening it. "If I don't hear from you in 24 hours I'm coming over again whether you like it or not."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Reid gave Morgan a shove out the door. "Bye Morgan. And thank you." He smiled widely at Morgan.

"You're welcome" Morgan answered back before making his way down the hallway.


	13. Tough love is not really my thing

**8:00AM-FRIDAY**

Sophia was laying in the bedroom, attempting not to fall asleep; a battle she knows is futile. Over and over since she returned from the hospital she has tried to fight off sleep. Every time she allowed her body to fall into dreams, those dreams turned into nightmares without fail. They would wake her up in sweat-soaked clothes, a scream caught tightly in her throat. Each time Reid would bolt up from his chair in the corner of the room and run to her side. He'd sit at the edge of the bed and pull her into his body, whispering comforting words as he rubbed her back, unconsciously rocking back and forth.

But this time Reid was not there to comfort her. He had gotten up from his vigil to answer the phone. Sophia turned onto her side, pulling back her sticky hair from her face. Her fingers brushed past her cheeks and she could feel a slight heat radiating from it. She sighed and closed her eyes, focusing on Reid's voice.

"Sophia didn't really wake up last night Morgan so no, I have nothing to report."

She could hear him pacing back and forth, his bare feet slapping loudly against the wooden floor. He stopped moving and Sophia smiled, picturing him rocking back and forth on his heels like he always did when he was on the phone.

"No Morgan, I'm not going to keep her up; she obviously needs some rest...Yeah, I get it but-Okay...Well...Will you ever let me finish a thought?" He started pacing again and Sophia stifled a little laugh. She could picture him stomping his feet like a child at his friend and rolling his eyes in frustration as she often saw him do when talking on the phone with his best friend.

"Really Morgan, really?...Yeah...No, that's fine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll call you later on tonight." She could hear Reid grumbling and stomping loudly around the kitchen, obviously annoyed by his conversation. She heard his steps stop in front of bedroom door and she sat up slightly, pushing her back against the headboard.

The door slowly swung open and Reid walked into the room, smiling broadly as his eyes landed on a conscious Sophia.

"Good morning."

"Hey." Sophia's voice was quiet and dry. She coughed in an attempt to clear the sleep from her voice.

"Oh! Let me get you something to drink!" Reid said, jumping into action before Sophia could protest. He came back a few seconds later with a large class of water and a box of crackers. "I know you didn't want to eat anything before and you really weren't hungry at the hospital but you need to try to eat something.

Sophia wrapped her hand around the glass of water, feeling the cool wetness soaking into her hand. A drop of condensation seeped between her fingers, sliding over her knuckle and back onto the cool glass. She took a sip and listened as the ice clinked loudly against the glass.

She looked up at Reid through her lashes. He was standing at the edge of the bed fiddling around with the box of crackers in his hand. She reached over and placed the glass on the nightstand. She cleared her throat and patted the empty side of the bed when Reid finally looked up.

He shuffled over to the side of the bed and sat down, his legs crossed underneath him. "You want to try to eat something?" Sophia shook her head, glancing down at her hands. "You haven't eaten in hours. You really need to eat Sophia" Reid pleaded, opening the bag of crackers and grabbing two.

He looked over to see tears starting to fall down Sophia's cheeks. "Hey. Everything will be okay." Reid cooed, placing a hand flat against her cheek. He wiped away a tear with his thumb and smiled softly at her. "Sophia..."

"I-I can't" she finally choked out, rubbing the back of her hand underneath her eye. "Every time I...I just..." She sobbed dropping her head into her hands. Reid quickly dropped the crackers onto the bed and moved closer to Sophia. He ran his hand over hair, whispering comforting words as he pulled her into his lap. "Shhh. Don't worry. You don't have to-"

"I can't get him out!" She screamed, cutting him off and looking up at his eyes. "Every time I-I think about food all I c-can taste is hi-." She tried to get the word out but she started gagging, her eyes squeezed tightly closed.

Reid gripped her tighter, unconsciously rocking back and forth. He rested his chin on the top of her head. He frowned when he felt a slight heat radiating from her face but he chalked it up to her falling into hysterics. As he listened to her sobs fall into a drawn out rhythm, his mind started working on what she was attempting to say.

The reality of what Sophia was attempting to tell him hit against him like a ton of bricks, knocking the wind out of him. Suddenly his mind was assaulted with images of Emmett shoving Sophia down onto her knees and pushing himself on her.

He squeezed his eyes closed and shook his head, pulling Sophia closer to him. He swallowed away the thickness that was building in his throat, desperately trying to stop himself from becoming physically ill. His stomach tightened and he could feel his heart pounding violently against his ribs.

"Sophia..." He wasn't sure what he should say but decided something had to be said. "He...forced himself...on you?" He cringed at how awful and impersonal the phrase sounded coming out of his mouth but he wasn't sure how else to pose the question. But really, he didn't want to know the answer. He was already confident in the answer and hearing it from Sophia would only make it more real and unavoidable. Once said, it can't be taken back. He can't hid behind his pretend ignorance once it's put out there.

He felt Sophia nod her head up and down and Reid tried not to let his body tense. "Sophia, maybe eating will make that go away?" He suggested though he knew that there would be no simple answer.

Sophia obviously agreed as she scuffed and buried her head in Reid's shoulder.

"You know, tough-love is not really my thing but you're going to get sick if you don't eat. You need to eat." Reid attempted to look serious but only ended up laughing as Sophia let out a little chuckle back at him.

He grabbed the crackers again, not moving Sophia from his lap. He pulled out a single cracker and held it out for Sophia to grab. After staring at it for what felt like an hour she finally reached forward and grabbed the cracker. She held it to her lips and looked up at Reid through her lashes. She opened her mouth and took a bite, letting the bland cracker sit on her tongue. She held her hand to her mouth, slowly working the cracker down her throat. Reid smiled, thankful that they had finally made some progress.

And there the two of them sat for an hour, Sophia slowly chewing her way through another four crackers and drinking another glass of water. Reid unconsciously rubbed smooth, small circles against her back as she focused on keeping the little food she had consumed in her stomach. They eventually moved the crackers away and lowered their bodies flat against the mattress. Sophia curled her body into Reid's, nestling her into the side of Reid.

She mumbled a quiet "thank you" before wrapping her arm around Reid's body and closing her eyes.

"I love you" Reid answered back, placing a soft kiss on her head. He closed his eyes, pulling Sophia closer and resting his hand on her hip. As he felt himself drifting to sleep he felt Sophia burrow closer to him and whisper, "I love you too."


	14. I'll be right back

**11:30AM**

Reid groaned as he finally woke up, stretching out his stiff arms. He felt Sophia still wrapped around him and he glanced down to look at her sleeping face. Reid reached forward and pushed the hair off Sophia's face and was taken aback from the heat that was radiating from her skin. He felt the sticky skin, a layer of sweat forming on her brow. He scrunched his face in frustration and he carefully extricated himself from the tangle of limbs. He stood up from the bed and placed the back of his hand against her forehead.

"Spencer." Sophia whispered as she opened her eyes, peering up a Reid through her thick lashes. Reid looked at her

"Shh. Don't worry. I'm just going to the bathroom. I'll be right back. I think you have a fever" He stepped into the bathroom, rummaging through the top draw. He came back to the room and returned to his spot on the bed. "Open your mouth. I want to check your temperature." Reid placed a hand on Sophia's cheek, his thumb running back and forth against the hot skin over her cheekbones.

Sophia sighed and accepted the thermometer, having no energy to argue. Reid berated himself for not checking earlier when he saw her cheeks flushed and felt her skin warm.

"Shit." Reid cursed under his breath as he looked at the thermometer a few seconds later. He looked at Sophia, sighing louder as he realized she had fallen asleep merely seconds after he removed the thermometer. He got up and walked to the kitchen, grabbing the phone and dialing the first number that came to mind.

"Morgan."

"Sophia has a fever. 103."

"I'll be there in five." Morgan answered quickly, hanging up seconds later.

If it was any other time Reid would have laughed at the fact that he didn't need to say anything else to Morgan. He didn't need to elaborate why he was so worried about her. He didn't need to tell Morgan that he wanted to take Sophia to the hospital. He didn't have to explain why he wanted Morgan to drive instead of taking his rickety old car (not like Morgan would have let him anyway seeing as he thinks Reid's car is a death trap). It was all innate; the two of them so close that there was no need for words. It sometimes surprised Reid that he rarely ever had to explain himself to his friend; he simply always knew. He had never had anyone in his life like that.

Reid ran back to Sophia, grabbing her shoes. He saw her beginning to shake slightly and quickly opened their closet, grabbing one of her zipper-up sweatshirts. He sat down on the bed and gently tried to wake her up.

"Sophia. Sophia, I need you to sit up real quick."

"I'm tired." She mumbled as she let Reid help her sit up. He slipped her sweatshirt on and scooped her up, walking her over to the living-room. He lied her down on the couch and grabbed her shoes from next to the door. He put them on as he intently watched her sleeping face. He could see that her teeth were still chattering and she was curled into herself, her sleeves pulled down so they were covering her fingers.

The doorbell rang and Reid ran to the door. He threw open the door as he leaned down and slipped on his shoes.

"I parked the car right outside your building." Morgan said, standing up on his toes to look over the back of the couch at Sophia. "Did this come on all of a sudden?"

"She was warm earlier. I'm concerned that it's from an infection, probably from her head wound." Reid walked over, scooping her up again and following Morgan out the door


	15. You better start talking

**1:10pm-In the hospital**

Reid and Morgan settled into their seats in the waiting room as Sophia was wheeled over to an examining room; her earlier doctor quickly taking over again.

The waiting room was a sad blue with starch white couches and shining linoleum floors. It was too sterile and it made Reid shift uncomfortably in the couch. He wasn't used to having to sit in waiting rooms and although anyone else would welcome this change, it only made Reid more anxious.

Morgan's phone began ringing and the few people in the waiting room whipped their heads up in their direction, a few of them shooting daggers at them. Morgan smiled sympathetically and grabbed his phone, answering it as he stood up and walked towards the exit.

"Morg-

"Where are you? You shot out of here with no explanation and you better start talking." Morgan cringed at the anger that he heard from Hotch's voice. It was then that Morgan looked down at his watch and let out a loud puff of air. He had left to pick up Reid in the middle of their lunch break. He should have been back at work 10 minutes ago.

"Shit. Sorry Hotch. Reid called me an-"

"Is everything okay? Is Sophia okay?" Hotch cut him off sharply, Morgan blatantly aware of the stress in his voice.

"Well no. I'm at the hospital w-"

Morgan however was again cut off by Hotch's urgent voice. "Hospital? What's wrong?"

"Well if you would let me finish a sentence I'll let you know."

"Sorry, continue."

"She had a high fever; it hit 104.7 by the time we reached the hospital. Chances are it's probably an infection from one of her wounds." Morgan paced back and forth in front of the hospital entrance. He felt uncomfortable leaving Reid in there by himself. He could only imagine what Reid was thinking, or doing, now that he was left alone. Morgan was more than aware of Reid's tendencies towards the worst self-destructive behavior; blaming himself. He was probably sitting there running over every reason why he was to blame; not being in the apartment, not figuring out the map quick enough, not cleaning her wound better, not giving her something for her fever, and reasons that even Morgan couldn't conjure up.

"Where is he now?"

"Reid's in the waiting room. I was with him when you called and I left the room."

Morgan swore he could hear Hotch pacing back and forth in his office over the phone. "Stay with him; he really shouldn't be alone. Just...keep me posted."

"Can do." Morgan hung up and walked back to the waiting room. He sat down next to a tense Reid, unsure of whether he should break Reid from his thoughts or not. He took a deep breath and threw caution into the wind, turning to Reid.


	16. I missed you

**1:20pm-In the hospital**

Morgan took a deep breath and began; "So…got anything to fill me in about? Did you guys make any progress?"

Reid glanced over at Morgan, tears in his eyes.

"What?" Morgan asked quickly, leaning closer to him.

"I was kind of hoping that you wouldn't ask. She told me about one thing…" Reid hesitated and Morgan noticed his hands shaking.

"What happened?" Reid could hear the anxiousness in Morgan's voice. "Reid?" Morgan leaned forward in anticipation and stress.

"Emmett forced her…to…uhm…give him..." A tear slipped down Reid's face and his voice shook. He clasped and unclasped his hands, suddenly hyper-aware of everything around him. He could hear the people behind him mumbling about their wake and the couple in the corner giggling. He sighed, trying to push everything else out of his mind.

"She wasn't eating. I just had to ask why. She said she couldn't get the taste of him out of her mouth." Reid refused to look at Morgan as he talked, knowing that he'd break down the second he looked at his friend. He did however, risk a glance over at Morgan's body out of the corner of his eye. He saw Morgan tense, his hands curling into tight fists.

They sat in silence, Reid's knees bouncing up and down nervously as a few tears slid down his cheek. "But…" Morgan finally said, breaking the silence. "That's progress. I mean, she's telling you what happened. She's talking. And you know that talking is the first st-"

"Sophia Maxwell?" A nurse said loudly, looking around the waiting room. Reid jumped from his seat, wiping the back of his hand across his cheeks, followed slowly by Morgan.

"Oh! There you are. She's in room 620, just down the hall and on the left hand side. We're giving her antibiotics and fluids through an IV for a slight infection in the head-wound. She can leave once her fever lowers to at least 100." Reid nodded quickly at the nurse who promptly turned on her heels and walked away.

Morgan turned to Reid as they made their way down the surprisingly empty hallway.

"See, she'll be fine."

"With her fever? Yeah." Reid said with a shrug.

"She'll be fine with everything else as well. You were just saying that she started opening up to you. And that's, like, the biggest thing she has to get over."

Reid looked over at Morgan's face, smiling across at him. "I guess so. I just don't want to get my hopes up."

"Since when did you become such a pessimistic? Sophia is so strong; you've shown us over and over again. You need to stay positive."

When they got to her room there was a nurse changing the wet wash clothes on Sophia's neck and forehead. The room was brightly lit and the walls were painted a muted blue. It had two large windows, their white curtains pulled closed. In the corner was an uncomfortable looking white plastic chair pushed up against a row of two metal cabinets.

The nurse looked up and smiled kindly at them. She tucked the edge of the bed sheet in and slipped past Reid and Morgan as they took a step into the room.

Sophia shifted and opened her eyes slowly, blinking them into focus. "Hey Sophia." Reid smiled and grabbed her hand, giving it a little squeeze.

"Uhm, I'll be outside." Morgan turned towards the door, feeling extremely out of place, like he had just walked in on something he was obviously not invited to.

"Thank you," a shaky and soft voice said before Morgan stepped over the threshold.

Morgan turned at the small voice, making eye contact with Sophia. "Thank you for helping." She said again, a hesitant smile appearing on her face. Morgan smiled back and nodded, shutting the door behind him. He walked down the hallway, making his way back into the waiting room.

"Hey you." Reid leaned down and kissed Sophia's cheek.

"I want to go home already." Sophia muttered, smiling slightly.

"When your fever goes down." Sophia pouted at Reid's words then scooted her body over. She patted the space on the bed and waited for Reid to lie down next to her. As soon as he did Sophia cuddled into his side, removing the cloth from her forehead and neck and placing on the table next to the bed.

"Those should really stay on, you know, especially if you want to your fever to go down" Reid said as he leaned over her, trying to reach for the cloths. Sophia slapped his hand playfully and pulled him against her.

"Just leave them." She whispered into the material of his shirt as she rubbed her cheek against his chest. She ran her hand up and down his arm, closing her eyes. Reid laughed, wrapping his arms tightly around her. They lay there for a few minutes, quite content in their quiet positions.

"I miss this." Reid said after a while, motioning between the two of them.

"I do too. I missed you." Sophia added as Reid rolled slightly so he was hovering over her. He leaned down and kissed her lips hesitantly and softly.

Sophia smiled into his lips and sat up slightly, following Reid's lips as he pulled away. She kissed him again before reaching out and tucking a curl behind Reid's ear. She let her hand rest against his cheek and Reid unconsciously leaned into it. She rubbed her thumb continually across his cheek, staring intently at Reid's closed his eyes. He let out a sigh and turned his head slightly, kissing the open palm of Sophia's hand.

"We're going to be okay," Sophia mumbled when Reid finally opened his eyes though it came out more as a question than an actual statement.

"We're going to be okay." Reid answered back. He rolled so he was flat on his back and pulled Sophia against his side, closing his eyes as he felt her body relax. He stretched out his arm and felt around for the cloth, placing back on Sophia's neck.


	17. Epilogue

**…2 months later…**

Reid walked into the bullpen fifteen minutes late, letting out a huge yawn as he stretched, reaching above his head. He stretched like a cat and as his arms came down he rubbed his face.

"Late night Pretty boy?" Morgan laughed as he walked up behind Reid with a steaming cup of coffee in each hand. Reid blushed and nodded his head, sitting down at his desk. He reached out and grabbed the cup from Morgan, smiling in appreciation. He took a sip of the sugary liquid and nodded his approval towards Morgan.

"Yeah; definitely a long night. But sadly, not in the way you're thinking Morgan."

"Still not there yet?" Garcia asked quietly, shooting Reid a sympathetic smile. Reid was taken back from the question and apparently so was everyone else.

"No need to rush them!" Prentiss said, giving Garcia a little shove that made her totter in her obnoxious yellow heels.

"That's not why. That's…better." Reid said hesitantly. Morgan gave his shoulder a shove and wiggled his eyebrows at him. "Watson tried to scale the screen over the living room window…yet again. He got one of his nails stuck in the openings and ended up yanking it half out of nail bed. We spent three hours in the vet's office. They had to sedate him and surgically remove the nail."

"Oh! My poor baby!" Garcia exclaimed.

"So you and Sophia are…?" JJ asked, finally chiming in on the conversation.

"Good. Actually really good." Reid said as he smiled up at his team.c


End file.
